A Senior Moment: a feast of sport - but I have a few moans too

John Docker

Boy oh boy. What a feast of sporting spectacle we are enjoying, with patriotic eye watering on one hand and groans of dashed-hopes disappointment on the other. Cheers and tears ringing in our ears from breakfast to bedtime - hands up all those suffering from Olympic overload!

There are so many events bombarding us from our TV sets, laptops, iPads and smart thingies, it’s impossible for this oldie to keep up. And I have to admit to getting more than a tad grumpy when in the middle of some exciting action, a smiling Sue Barker informs me I need to go-compare my computer to watch the rest of it. Not on Sue, you’ll be getting bazooka’d yourself if you’re not careful!

I suspect the BBC are making a big mistake in assuming everyone wants to keep flipping between all these electronic gismos – even if we possessed them. It’s bad enough when they keep switching between channels 1 and 2 - Wimbledon coverage a prime example. Cut it out Auntie, you’re doing my head in and I bet I’m not the only one.

Out of interest, I have to ask, is anyone doing any work out there or are they all fiddling with their smart phones or sneaking a peek at the games on their PCs? No wonder the world is in such a sorry state! But what the heck, haven’t we done well?

While I’m having a good old moan, what about all those empty seats? Rows and rows of them for all the world to witness. It really is a pity so many people were disappointed - only to see their favourite sport had spare capacity.

The seats should have been forfeited and given - not sold - to deserving groups. Chelsea Pensioners for example or armed forces personnel back from active duty. No problem finding any takers out there I’ll be bound. Let’s hope the organisers make sure those responsible are duly penalised.

And while they’re about it, let’s hope they ensure that overpaid footballers - men or women - are never again allowed to insult the nation by refusing to sing the National Anthem, especially in front of a worldwide audience.

It’s excusable for the medallists - they haven’t any puff left - but if these people feel so anti-British they shouldn’t be part of Team GB. I’m sure they’ll manage without them.

Finally, my all time favourite moment of the celebrations so far, was when Culture Secretary Jeremy Hunt dropped a clanger as he enthusiastically joined in the national bell ringing on opening day and his bell flew off the wooden handle.

It’s a good job Parliament is in recess, Tessa Jowell would have had a field day.

I wonder if there could be any truth in the rumour she was seen sneaking off the deck of HMS Belfast clutching a small saw!